Home but Depressed !!!

[SheilaF]

Dear All,

I have posted a couple of questions here before but mostly surf around - great site.
We have just returned from our 8th trip to Florida and as usual we are already depressed. We spent three weeks in Orlando and it was fantastic. Did Universal and IOA but not Disney this time as son is 15 and claims to have grown out of that park. Personally i love it.
Christmas day activities were decided upon when we woke up - mini golf at Disney and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. No pressure, no over-eating.
We got to see a launch - ok not a manned spacecraft, only a rocket but thrilling nevertheless.
The only down side of the trip was a poor guy getting shot across the road from us. Stayed in a condo at 'Villas at Island Club' near Lindfieds which i thought was fine until we returned home one day to scores of 'narcotic squad' policemen, a mobile incident van and lots of people in white overall. Found out on Channel 13 news (why sooooooo many weather reports) that two guys had fallen out one had shot the other three times , fortunately not fatal and that the condo was being used 'to manufacture illegal substances' - which explains why they were bring glass jars out of the house for hours.
Despite that, we had a fantastic time, put a down payment on a townhouse which will be finished in June when we hope to return.

We all LOVE Florida and cannot wait to return.

Happy New Year to you all

P.S. just wanted to add that i still feel safer in Florida than anywhere and that the above incident is probably extremely rare and not once did i feel in danger.

[DISNEYDIVA]

SheilaF, we had an incident one year while walking down International Drive in the early evening. A woman shouted in a another language and pointed at us from her car, then drove off. She obviously thought she knew us. It really spooked me. It just makes me more aware when walking anywhere. We regularly walked the 192 last year with no problems. Lesley.[8D]

[SheilaF]

Hi DisneyDiva

You know whats really strange is that most of the time i am totally neurotic about safety and security etc. but i did not feel in danger for a second. Everything was under control and it was obviously a very rare occurrence. No way will it stop us going to our beloved Florida, we will return in June to our own house, (cant wait). I just feel sorry for the poor owners of the condo, I wonder if they ever found out what their home was being used for.

Happy New Year to you all

[lisi]

Hi. I had a bag snatch on International Drive last September and suffered lacerations, bruising and had stitches. The police were fantastic, came immediately, got the guy and got my bag back minus 60 dollars. I coped OK until I got back to the UK when Iwent into post traumatic shock. However, I am over it now and am planning to come back again this year. I never felt threatened out there and the villa people said they never thought to warn anyone as there had been no incidents before. I was just unlucky adn targeted I think because I was vulnerable - walk with a stick.

I just love Florida and htis time want to spend some time on the Gulf Coast and Keys as well as Kissimmee. Can't wait.

Lisi

[DISNEYDIVA]

Hi Lisi, its difficult to get over something like that, but it does make you more aware. I have to say we also may have been a walking target, my hubby is a security guard with a shaved head and a scar on is face that looks like he was glassed (he wasn't it was an injury at work). He looks guite menacing, he always gets stopped at airports.
[msnembarrased]

[FeelsLikeFire]

Hmmm.. Can't say this was to do with me but it happened where I was. I was at a Chemist in Florida and all of a sudden big signs were scrolled right over the door and police cars came in at all angles- Also with dogs sniffing about. It was quite scary. Something must've happened in the store or something. Other than this nothing really. But there was a big shootout going on in another place in Florida and on the news they were encouraging people to walk in a zig-zag line.. Hmmm.. To avoid being shot I think. LoL.